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France
Home to some of the Alps' best ski-in, ski-out areas which stretch on for miles, France offers a real sense of exploration on the slopes and often the option never to ski the same trail twice. With Paris as a gateway there is the chance to spend time checking out the boutiques and bistros before or after a trip, but the Alps are close to other French highlights, including gourmet capital Lyon, the Côte d'Azur and the wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
In France food is always important and cheese-based dishes such as tartiflette are ideal for giving the energy required to spend a day in the mountains. Alongside the more simple, traditional mountain restaurants you will find highly-rated places that are worth a detour on their own.
France's crème de la crème
France is more than mountains. Before or after the slopes spend some time exploring.
French Trips
Below are some of our suggested ways to discover France. Take a look - if it's what you're looking for, perfect. If you want to change anything we can change as much or as little as you want.
Chamonix's Vallée Blanche & Lyon's gastronomy
Chamonix sits under western Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, and is the starting point for one of the Alps' longest descents, the Vallée Blanche. This high altitude glacier run starts from over 12,000 feet and winds it's way between crevasses for around 12 miles. A guide is a must. Afterwards you can take the train to Lyon, a city known for its cuisine, both rustic and great value, and Michelin-starred.
Courchevel, Roman Provence and the French Riviera
France's most chic ski town, Courchevel, lies at the far end of the 3 Vallées with access to hundreds of miles of trails spreading over a ski area larger than the top five US areas combined. Spend time exploring on snow before heading south to discover the rich Roman history of Provence, and finish the trip on the sunny French Riviera.
Val d'Isère, wine and châteaux
Val d'Isère is high with extensive slopes split into various distinct sectors. It is linked to Tignes, together forming the Espace Killy which has hundreds of miles of trails and plentiful back-country. The stone buildings of the historic core date back several hundreds of years, while nowadays the town is bustling, with lots of bars and restaurants. Spend time skiing all over and enjoy a drink and the music at the slopeside Folie Douce. Head west to Bordeaux, considered one of France's greatest wine regions, to sample vintages at the cellar door before continuing north to the Loire Valley where historic castles are surrounded by manicured gardens.
Reasons to choose us for your trip
Why should you work with us to plan your trip to the Alps and Europe? We want to show off our 'home' mountains and ensure you have an awesome time - again and again.
Years of Alpine experience
We've been skiing all over the Alps since starting young in the 80s.
Global ski knowledge
We've not just skied the Alps, but also the Pyrenees, southern Spain, Arctic Sweden, the US, South America and New Zealand - so we know what makes a good trip.
Expertise
As qualified ski instructors we know about different levels and can help your and your travel partners achieve your goals.
Enjoyable planning process
We believe that when planning a trip it starts there and then - so let's get excited. We've been building dream vacations for people for over 20 years and get a massive kick out of helping people do something really memorable. We aim to make the whole process easy and fun.
Love of winter sports and the mountains
We love everything about being in the mountains. We love powder and groomers (bumps are getting a bit hard on the knees), we love apres, we love first lifts, we love heli days - well you get the idea.
Beyond the mountains
We love the mountains, but the Alps are surrounded by endless cool places. You're coming a long way so let us help you explore a bit more of Europe while you're here.
When to go
You'll get different things out of your trip depending on when you go, so we'll work with you to choose the best time.
November
In a few places you can ski year round, but November is when it will start feeling like winter. In the cities it's the run-up to Christmas.
February
The first part of the month is similar to January, but then most European countries have their winter holidays, leading to bustling resorts and great après-ski. Carnival happens around the Alps, and it is an exciting time to visit Venice.
December
December is less reliable for snow than it used to be, but high altitude places will be open. Off the slopes in the cities Christmas markets add festive cheer.
March
Spring is in evidence at lower altitudes, but high up snow depths are really building. Long, sunny days lend themselves to lunches on terraces and afternoon après. Places like the Italian lakes are warming up, with snow-capped mountains towering over blooming flowers.
January
The best month for lack of crowds after schools go back, lowest prices and coldest conditions. Off the slopes places are cold but pubs and restaurants are convivial, prices are low and museums are quiet.
April
The season starts to wind down, but April can see big dumps as April showers pepper the Alps. It can be quiet, snowy and sunny, making it a glorious time to be in the Alps. Off the snow you can find everything from beach weather to vibrant cities waking from the winter cold.
Summer in the Alps
While summer sees skiing take a back seat, the Alps are carpeted by wildflowers, hiking and mountain biking become the activities of choice and marmots emerge from their burrows to enjoy the warm weather. If you are interested in exploring during this season, or even taking a course on glacier to hone your technique, we can arrange it.